Gloucester are set to seek sanctions against at least one Mont-de-Marsan player over alleged eye-gouging in their ugly Amlin Challenge Cup opener in France.

Gloucester's Andy Hazell was sent off in the 55th minute for punching an opposing player. Hazell (34) could face a lengthy ban, while three other players received yellow cards for unrelated incidents.

Gloucester won the Pool One encounter 11-6 at Stade Guy Boniface. Hazell will now face a disciplinary hearing, but Gloucester boss Nigel Davies said Hazell's eye was "severely sore and very red". "We'll speak to the citing commissioner," he added.

"We can't condone what was done from a Gloucester view, but that was a reaction to what went on before. We will take our punishment, but they need to take their punishment too."

tennis

Andy Murray resumes his rivalry with Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters today.

Murray was forced to work hard for his 4-6 6-2 6-3 victory over Radek Stepanek, negotiating a shaky start to power past the world No 41, while top seed Federer enjoyed a comfortable passage into the semi-finals, swatting aside Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Novak Djokovic plays Tomas Berdych in the other semi-final.

golf

Peter Martin from Colin Park Golf Academy in Belfast leads the Irish PGA championship with a five-under par 67 after the first round at Mount Juliet.

He is two shots ahead of Eamon Brady (Clontarf), John Kelly (St Margaret's) and Barrie Trainor (Mayobridge), with David Higgins -- who is on the verge of being crowned the Order of Merit winner -- among a group of seven a shot further back.

SNOOKER

World No 7 Stephen Lee has been suspended by the world governing body pending the results of a new investigation into suspicious betting patterns.

Lee, who was last week informed he would not face criminal charges over match-fixing allegations dating back to 2010, lost a Premier League match 4-2 against John Higgins on Thursday night.